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- UNTED STATE@ PATENT BBBE.

SAMUEL GILLESPIE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FOLDING BEDSTEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 27,284, dated February 28, 1860.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knoWn that SAMUEL GILLESPIE, of the city, county, and State ofNen7 York, have invented a neiY and Improved Mode of Constructing FrenchBedsteads; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full, andexact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in diyiding the side rails in ornear the center and hinging the parts to the head and foot of thebedstead so that they can be folded don'n on the same in a compactmanner for handling and transportation and also readily thrown open ontheir hinges and by the aid of the dovetail or center joint be connectedor disconnected with ease and facility in putting up or taking down thebedstead.

To enable others skilled in the artto make and use my invention l willproce-ed to describe its construction and operation by drawings andletters of reference in all of which similar letters refer to likeparts.

To constructthe head and foot of the bedsteads as Well as side rails andthe slats in the ordinary manner, but connect them dif- 'erently to Wit:Having divided side rail, A,

A, at o l let in dovetails B, B, as shown at Figures 2, 3, 5, 6 andsecured by screws, Z), Z), &c., so that the side rail forms a perfectOint and shoulder when connected by the dovetails B, B. These dovetailsI make of cast. metal as shown. Having arranged and secured the dovetailI next connect the sides, A, A, to head and foot, C, C, by means of thebutts and screws, c, c, Etc., Figs. 2, 3, 4l, 5, G. In doing this itWill be observed by reference to all the figures I connect the side railon one side of the head and foot, its thickness nearer the inner surfaceof the head and foot board, so that When it is folded in the oppositepiece of side rail Will fold on top of the other as seen at Figs. 5andw. lt Will be seen by this construction and arrangement that thebedstead may be very readily set up by simply connecting the dovetail B,B, which any person can do With ease. The sam-e Will be secured bydropping or putting in center slat, D, Fig. il, which Will prevent thesides, A, from passing in the same, being prevented from passing fartherout by shoulder d, (Z, &c., when the other slats may be pnt in whichwill constitute the bedstead ready for the mattress.

In taking the bedstead down, the slats being removed, the dovetails aredisconnected by holding one and pressing the other inward. The same arefolded in order for packing or moving, as shown at Figs. 5 and (S.

Formerly b-edsteads of the better class have been set up and taken downvwith difficulty and great annoyance and the packing and transportationhas been attended With difficulty and large expense owing mainly to thegreat length of side rail and the inadaptability of the parts to bepacked closely together. These objections are not found in my improvedbedstead, the parts being Well adapted for close packing and easily putup or taken down.

Having thus fully set forth the nature construction and operation of myinvention what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is-The combination and arrangement of the head and foot boards, C, C,hinged to side rails A, A and dovetails, B, B, substantially as and forthe purpose specified.

M. L. BARNES.

